Miraculous Shorts
by sicilliana
Summary: A series of one-shots based on writing prompts. Genres and universes may vary, but there will always be hints of LadyNoir.
1. illuminate

based on the writing prompt "following a set of glowing footprints"

* * *

Ladybug leapt from rooftop to rooftop, scanning the city of Paris for any signs of trouble. It had been a quiet week in Paris - far too quiet. The akuma attacks from Hawk Moth had been steadily increasing over the past few months and suddenly, they stopped. She and Cat Noir have been scheduling extra patrols in preparation of a large akuma attack - speaking of which, where was that dumb cat? Ladybug paused on a building near the Eiffel Tower and called Cat Noir. She tapped her foot impatiently as the phone rang once, twice, three times. Finally, he answered, looking rather disheveled; his normally messy hair was more tousled than usual and there was some questionable stains on his leather catsuit.

"Bonjour, my lady!" he said with a forced smile. "How, uh … how are you today?" He combed his hair with his fingers, desperately trying to make himself look somewhat presentable.

Ladybug frowned, not sure what she should ask about first. She decided to go with what she originally called him for: "Cat, our patrol started thirty minutes ago. Where are you?"

"I, um …" He chuckled sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "Funny story about that, my lady …"

Ladybug grimaced. "Okay okay, never mind. Can you - wait, what is that?" She ran to the edge of the roof and scrutinized the bottom of the Eiffel Tower. Was something … glowing? "Cat, are you anywhere near the Eiffel Tower?"

"Why yes, why do you - AGH!" Ladybug's attention returned to the call; for some reason, Cat Noir seemed frantic. Was he in danger?

"What the - Cat! Cat, what's down there?!"

"N-no, no, it's nothing, my lady!" He was now trying to obscure the camera on his phone. "No need to come down here and investigate -"  
In a flat voice, Ladybug said, "I'm coming down to investigate."

"My lady, there's no need -"

Ladybug hung up and leapt from building to building down to the base of the tower. Now that she was closer, she could see that the glowing was a luminescent set of footprints. Cautiously, she extended a finger to touch the nearest footprint and saw that it was some kind of glowing paint - had Hawk Moth targeted some poor painter? Her eyes followed the footprints around the base of the tower and then - up onto the tower? She climbed up the metal beams, tracking the footsteps. As she ascended, she could hear Cat frantically muttering to himself. What was wrong with him? She turned towards Cat's voice and her heart skipped a beat as she realized that the footprints led directly to him.

Ascending faster now, she swung around the tower and landed at Cat's feet. "Cat, are you alright? Is -" Ladybug was speechless as she took in Cat Noir's appearance. The questionable stains she had seen earlier were blotches of the same glowing paint. He had hidden his hand behind him, but not before she had seen a paintbrush with glowing bristles. His sheepish grin only made him look more suspicious. The two stood in silence for a while.

Finally, Ladybug broke the silence, hissing, "What were you doing, you dumb cat?"

Cat Noir refused to meet her glaring eyes. "Well, uh …" He pulled out the paintbrush from behind him and stared at it, as if asking for help. "I …" Sighing, he hung his head and motioned to an estate nearby. "Follow me, my lady. Please …"

The two traveled to the estate. As they neared their destination, Ladybug recognized the estate as the home of Adrien Agreste. Her heart skipped a beat - would she be able to see her crush? She inspected as many windows as she could as Cat Noir led her to the expansive backyard. Waiting for them in the middle of the yard was a medium-sized canvas splattered with the same glowing paint that coated Cat Noir. The "painting" was so messy, Ladybug couldn't tell what it was supposed to be at first. Then she saw the five spots surrounded by a circle …

"Cat … did you try to paint me something …?" she asked.

"Yes, my lady …" He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "My, erm … friend had a can of glowing paint he desperately needed to get rid of, so I decided to try to make something with it. Then I realized what time it was, I was already late for the patrol …"

Ladybug folded her arms, smirking. "And you tripped over the paint can?"

Cat Noir pouted. "I was trying to wash it off, but you decided to investigate my glowing footprints -"

She stepped forward and pulled him into a hug, cutting off his thoughts. As his face became a bright shade of scarlet, Ladybug whispered, "I thought you were in danger." She squeezed him tighter. "Don't you dare worry me again, you dumb cat."

Gently, he wrapped his arms around her and replied, "I promise, my lady."


	2. darkest hour

based on the writing prompt "it's raining fire"

* * *

Ladybug and Cat Noir huddled together on the top of a building near the Seine. The stars glimmered in the night sky as the first winds of winter had rolled into Paris, nipping at the two heroes. Ladybug shivered as she pointed to a tall tower with a large distinctive window. "It's that one, right?" she asked.

"Yes, my lady," replied Cat Noir. "Hawk Moth's lair. We've finally got him cornered." Ladybug's hand curled into a fist. This was it. They had been fighting Hawk Moth for almost two years now. They could end the suffering of the people of Paris. She crouched, ready to spring into action, but Cat Noir's hand squeezed her shoulder.

"My lady, if I may?" he asked. "There's something I want to tell you …" Softening at the sincerity in his voice, Ladybug rose to her feet and smiled at her partner.

"Cat, whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait until after we take care of Hawk Moth," she said gently. As he moved his hand down her arm, she felt a shiver down her spine.

He intertwined his fingers with hers and said, "If you think so, my lady." He looked a little downcast, but still managed a convincing smile.

She returned the smile and said, "I may have something to tell you as well, but for now, let's go."

They leapt from rooftop to rooftop as it began to snow. Quietly, they landed on either side of the window. Ladybug peered over, smirking as Cat Noir twirled his tail lazily. She lifted her hand and signaled him; together, they burst through the window, landing in a shower of glass shards and snowflakes. Both of them readied their weapons, but there was no living being in sight. They turned their backs to each other and scanned the large, cavernous room, but saw nothing except the movement of their own shadows.

"Cat?" she called. "Cat, do you see -" A soft thump cut her off and she turned around to see Cat Noir on his knees, gripping his head. And his baton - his normally silver baton had turned a shade of purple unique to akuma victims.

"Cat! Cat no!" she cried. She ran around and knelt in front of him. "Cat, can you hear me?! Cat Noir, please!" Her voice grew more frantic as she placed her hands on the sides of his head and tilted it up so Cat Noir could see her. "Cat, whatever he's saying, don't -"

Out of nowhere, a large cloud of purple butterflies swarmed the room, separating the two. Ladybug kept calling out to Cat Noir, only to be answered by his tortured screams. No, no, no … it was a trap! She led them into a trap and there was nothing she could do about it. What could she do, what could she do …? At a loss for ideas, she gripped her own head and kept screaming his name, to no avail. Her already rapid heartbeat skyrocketed as she felt her feet leaving the ground; were these butterflies trying to take her somewhere? Why weren't they trying to turn her?

The swarm of butterflies took her through the broken window. Through gaps in their formation, she saw Cat Noir, still screaming on the floor. "Cat!" Ladybug cried as she reached out to him. After a few harrowing moments, the butterflies dissipated, leaving Ladybug falling through the night sky. She searched around for something to something to lasso her yo-yo around, but to no avail. Where was she going to fall …? In the dim light, she could make out the small waves of the Seine. It was better than landing on concrete, but it would still hurt ... A loud resounding boom caught her attention. She spun around in mid-air in time to see Hawk Moth's tower fall in a fiery explosion. Her stomach churned as she thought of Cat Noir.

She fell into the Seine with a large splash. Through the water, she could still see the orange flames engulfing Hawk Moth's tower and the smudges of flaming debris plummeting into the water. It was over. Hawk Moth won, Cat Noir was dead, Ladybug failed, and it was raining fire. She reached out her hand towards the tower - and was surprised to feel someone grabbing her wrist. Whoever this was, they were strong; they managed to bring her up to the surface and haul her to the shore.

They laid her down as she wiped the water from her eyes. She looked up to see her savior and gasped. He had survived, but his once black catsuit was now snow white, matching his new mask and ears. His red eyes stared at her hungrily and he grinned.

"Hello, my lady."


	3. catacombs

based on the writing prompt "exploring a tunnel"

* * *

Ladybug's fingers trembled as she gripped her yo-yo tighter. The sounds of the city faded around her as she stood at the entrance of a small dark green building. The one place in Paris she didn't like … The one place in Paris she was afraid of … She debated whether or not she could have imagined the large rat tail (today's akuma victim had turned into a rat-themed villain with the ability to commune with rats) disappear into the doorway leading to the -

"My lady!" Cat Noir landed next to her, grinning. "This is no time to sight-see! Do you know where Le Rat - uh, Sir Rattington - ugh, whatever Rat Man's name is, did you see where he went?"

Silence.

"My lady?" He waved his hand in front of her face, and then turned towards the building. "Did … did Rat Man go into the catacombs?"

Stiffly, Ladybug nodded.

Cat Noir guffawed. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's not allow him to escape!" He grabbed her wrist and pushed the door open, but Ladybug whimpered and pulled back, standing her ground.

Cat Noir turned around and tilted his head. "My lady, what's wrong? We need to find him. If he doesn't know the catacombs -" Ladybug flinched at the term "catacombs." Cat Noir's usual smile faded into a frown as the realization dawned on him.

"Ladybug," he whispered. "Are you … do the catacombs frighten you?"

She turned her eyes away, muttering, "I don't know what you're talking about …"

"Ladybug." He intertwined his fingers with hers. "We need to go down there and find Rat Man. I will be with you. There's no need for you to be afraid."

She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, squeezing Cat Noir's hand. "Alright …" she whimpered. "Just … please don't let go of my hand …"

Cat Noir beamed and prepared a flirtatious comeback, but the words died in his throat as he saw how terrified Ladybug was. He finally realized why Ladybug always left the catacombs to him when they were doing sweeps of the city. A lonely labyrinth under Paris was a creepy idea on its own, but the walls were lined with thousands and thousands of skeletons. Not many people were eager to explore the tunnels without a guide. Fortunately, his many journeys into the tunnels gave him intimate knowledge of the system under Paris. Hopefully, they would finish soon … Wordlessly, he led her down the stairs. Their shadows flickered on the stone walls as the sounds of falling water echoed from far away. The journey was pleasantly uneventful until they reached the stone gateway; Ladybug took one look at the words at the top of the gateway and screamed, yanking her hand out of Cat Noir's. She dropped to her knees and covered her eyes, sobbing and crying. Cat Noir glanced up at the words etched in the stone: "Stop! This is the Empire of the Dead."

He sighed and crouched down, gently prying her hands from her face. "Ladybug! Ladybug, come on," he reassured. "It's just some scary words -"

"No! The skeletons are past there! Cat I can't do this please don't make me do this!" she screamed. He kept trying to speak to her, but to no avail. He swiveled around, making sure that the area was clear, and then pulled her into his arms and onto his lap. She calmed down somewhat and pressed her head against his chest. A small part of him felt at home, like this was always meant to be, him holding his Ladybug - then he recalled where they were and what they had to do.

"Ladybug, listen to me," he whispered into her ear. "I understand that you're scared, but I need you with me if we want to rescue Rat Man. I have a few ideas about how to catch him. Now, I know these tunnels like the back of my hand. I can go into the tunnels and get Rat Man while you stay here -"

"No no no!" she cried, wrapping her arms around him. "Don't leave me here …"

Ignoring the blush spreading across his face, he said, "Alright alright, we'll throw that plan out. My other one is that you close your eyes and I lead you through the tunnels."

In a tiny voice, she replied, "Yeah … that sounds good …"

"Alright. Come on, Ladybug. Let's find this … weird Rat Man. How does Hawk Moth find these people ...?" He tenderly helped her up to her feet, slipped his hand into hers, and started trying to navigate the catacombs.

Every time Cat Noir was asked to search the skeleton-lined labyrinth, there were still a few tour groups running around. Now he and Ladybug were the only souls present - excluding Rat Man, of course, and perhaps a few dozen restless ghosts. Cat Noir tried not to think about the latter as he racked his brain for a mental map of the catacombs and likely places for Rat Man to hide. He dashed down what seemed like miles of skeletal cavern, but he hadn't seen any trace of Rat Man. Even worse, he had the strangest feeling he was going in circles. Cat Noir turned to his left and grimaced; there was a heart shape made with skulls and tibias he knew they'd passed before.

"Cat?" called Ladybug, her eyes still closed. "Have you found him yet?"

Cat Noir cringed. To tell the truth or not …? He cleared his throat and answered, "I think I have a lead, my lady. You'll be out of here soon, don't worry." He started moving again, straining his ears to pick something up, any stray sound, something for him to work off of -

"Is anyone there? Please?" Was that … Rat Man? Cat Noir couldn't believe his luck.

"I've got him, my lady!" he whispered over his shoulder. "When I let go of your hand, wait where you are. I'll tell you when I've restrained him and you can open your eyes and find the akuma." Ladybug mutely nodded.

He released Ladybug's hand and dashed around the corner, extending his baton. "Stop right there, Rat Man!" he called.

To his surprise, Rat Man sprinted towards him and buried his face in his chest, crying. "Oh thank heavens!" he cried. "Take me back to the surface, please!"

Cat Noir didn't quite know how to react. He stood stiffly, listening to Rat Man's sob story (apparently, he knew there was a tunnel system under Paris, but not that the tunnels were lined with skeletons). Cat Noir patted his head and said, "It's alright. The entrance isn't too far from here, we can -"

Suddenly, Rat Man pulled away from him, staring blankly into space. A strange, purple, mask-like outline hovered over his eyes. As if in a trance, Rat Man extended his hand and grasped Cat Noir's ring.

"Take the Miraculous … Take the Miraculous ..." he chanted in a monotone voice.

Panicking, Cat Noir seized his hand, determined to keep the ring on his finger. He didn't want to drag Ladybug into this, not in the state she was in, but on the other hand, it would be very bad if he untransformed in the middle of a fight …

"Ladybug! Help me!" he cried.

As he predicted, she screamed when she opened her eyes. He also expected her to perform her Lucky Charm attack, but instead, she sprinted towards them, snatched the locket from around Rat Man's neck, and stomped on it, freeing the akuma so she could purify it.

"Cat?" She pried the untransforming Rat Man's fingers away from Cat Noir's ring. "Cat, are you alright?"

His hand lifted up to caress her cheek as he smiled a genuine smile. "Never been better, my lady."

Ladybug reached up as if pulling him in for a kiss (Cat Noir's heart nearly stopped), but then she seemed to remember where she was; she glanced at the walls, wrapped her arms around him, and whimpered, "Can we get out of here please?"

It was no kiss, but Cat Noir thought that having her this close to him was just as good.


	4. grave

based on the writing prompt "is that a ghost?"

* * *

Adrien groaned and rubbed his eyes, happy that the photo shoot had finally ended. He would never actually say anything to his father, but this "Midnight in Paris" photo shoot was the worst idea he'd ever had, especially since he insisted on shooting very late at night to minimize traffic and swarming fans. The photographer started taking down his equipment, calling, "See you tomorrow night, Adrien!"

He grimaced and replied, "See you tomorrow …" That was right … this shoot was going to last a few days, which meant he had to show up at a Parisian landmark every day this week at midnight. Adrien grabbed a cup of tea and took a sip, ignoring how hot it was. It was like his father didn't care that he had his final exams at the end of the week. Luckily, tonight's shoot was at the Eiffel Tower, so his home wasn't too far away.

A shadow shot across his path. Adrien flinched, splashing some of the tea on his hand. Grumbling, he looked to the sky and saw a flock of birds flying away. He figured it was the birds and left it at that; it slipped his mind that if it really was the birds, there would have been smaller, multiple shadows.

After about three seconds of deliberation, he chose to take a detour through a small alleyway; he needed to stop somewhere before going home. He shuffled down the dark path, trying to ignore the odd clattering of trashcans and the whoosh of something far bigger than a bird dashing through the air.

What?

He glanced up at the sky again, only to see nothing. Adrien downed the rest of the tea and resolved to make his detour as short as possible. He sprinted down the alleyway and rounded the corner, now on his street. However, he ran past the gates to his estate, a few more blocks down, and stopped to catch his breath at the entrance to a small graveyard. He glanced behind him, but no shadow seemed to follow him. Was it a ghost? Nah. An akuma victim? Perhaps. He reached into his pocket to wake up Plagg, only to remember that the kwami was sleeping in his room. Adrien cursed under his breath. He'd have to make this quick, then.

Adrien wound his way through the gravestones, heading towards the largest one in the cemetery. His father had spared no expense, and he distinctly remember his father's words: "If you ever need her, she's right there. The biggest, most beautiful one." Those were some of the last kind words he had heard from his father. He stopped in front of it, glancing around to make sure he was alone.

He extended his hand to trace the words on the marble gravestone: "Loving wife and mother." Maybe if she were still here, his father would still have a heart. Maybe his father would take time off work to see Adrien, to talk with him more. Maybe his father would stop being so distant. And maybe Adrien wouldn't feel so alone in that large, empty estate.

The tears were welling up now, obscuring his vision. He pressed his cheek to the cold marble, pretending it was the warm skin of his mother. On days like this, the ever present ache in his heart burst and the tears flowed. He remembered the first time it had happened: he was holding a stuffed black cat his mother had given to him and thinking about her and suddenly, he couldn't stop crying. His father had come in, face crinkled at the sight of the display. He had snatched it up, curtly told him off, and left him in the room to cry. (Strangely enough, he had found the stuffed cat years later, in pristine condition. Naturally, Adrien took it back.)

Adrien heard a soft thump as someone landed behind him. "Stop right there!"

Now that sounded familiar. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he turned around to see Ladybug, whirling her yo-yo around and searching the area behind him.

"My la -" He bit down on his own tongue to swallow his words; it would be awkward if she figured out he was Cat Noir right now. "Ladybug? Why are you here?" he called.

She drew her yo-yo back, her blue eyes still searching the graveyard. "Stay right there," she ordered. Adrien's eyes followed her as she circled his mother's grave. Finally, she sighed and said, "Sorry. I thought there was someone behind the grave."

"Trick of the light?" he chuckled. As he looked at Ladybug, the memories of the strange shadows and noises came back to him. Cautiously, he asked, "Uh … have you been following me?"

Was that a blush he saw spreading across her face? She looked away and chuckled nervously. "I, uh, I was on patrol, came across the photo shoot - great work, by the way - and I wanted to make sure everyone got home safe. Then you ran past your home and …" Curiously, she stepped forward to inspect the gravestone. Her face fell as she realized who Adrien came to visit.

"Oh …" she murmured. "I'm sorry, Adrien."

"It's alright," he replied, mostly out of habit. He dabbed at his eyes, making sure the last of his tears had dried. "You mind walking me home, then?"

With a smile, she said, "That's what I'm here for."

As they walked away, the pearly, translucent figure appeared once more by the gravestone. She smiled, happy that her son had found a friend.


	5. glass door

based on this vine: /v/MgZ3l1AtnOm

* * *

Cat Noir was crouched on a roof, overseeing part of Paris. He wrung his hands nervously; today was the day. Today was the day he told Ladybug how he felt about her. It may be a bad idea to try to tell her right before they went on their weekly patrol of the city, but Cat Noir was sure things would go his way. He grinned as he heard Ladybug land on the roof. He stood up and smiled, calling, "Good afternoon, my lady! How are you?"

To his surprise, the normally sunny Ladybug seemed frazzled and distracted today. Her pigtails were uneven and she was constantly rubbing her eyes and yawning. "I'm, uh … let's just make this patrol quick, Cat," she grumbled.

"But my lady!" He stepped forward and clasped her hands. "There's … there's something important I have to tell you …"

In a flat voice, she disagreed, "Cat, let's just do this patrol."

Cat Noir frowned. He did not practice all night in front of his mirror for nothing. He did not rehearse it over and over in his head during school only to get shut down before he had spoken a word. No. This was happening today. He moved one of his hands to cup her cheek. "My lady, please. It may make your day better," he pleaded.

To his surprise, she grimaced and pulled away from him. "Cat, no. Not today."

He reached out and called, "But my lady!"

"No!" she screamed. She leapt off the rooftop, forcing Cat Noir to follow suit.

As they traveled Paris's skyline, Cat Noir yelled, "Ladybug! I'm sorry!" She used her yo-yo to swing around a corner and just like that, he had lost visual on her. He cursed under his breath. "Ladybug, please tell me what's wrong!" He realized a moment too late that he had miscalculated the distance between buildings; he braced himself as he crashed onto the street. Ignoring the whispering crowd around him, he caught a glimpse of red and black landing on a small rooftop garden and entering the building.

Pushing aside bystanders, he sprinted towards that building. It turned out to be a bakery and confectionary; maybe they could discuss things over some cupcakes and cookies. He laughed out loud at the image of he and Ladybug, in costume, sitting down in a bakery. Excellent, the door was open, he would dash in and ask if anyone had seen Ladybug -

THUNK!

Cat Noir stumbled back, clutching his forehead. What the hell was that?! Upon closer inspection, the door was not open. The pair of glass doors, cleaned so thoroughly that it appeared there was no door, were firmly shut. And now there was a large smudge in the shape of his face. A large, brown-haired man with a moustache opened the door, looking at Cat Noir with concern.

"My, my, not another one," he muttered. "And it's Cat Noir, of all people …" He motioned for him to come in. "I deeply apologize, Cat Noir. These doors are new and they've been confusing people all day. Come on in and we'll fix you up."

An uncharacteristic shyness came over Cat Noir and he padded into the bakery after the owner. He tried to ignore the stares of the clientele as he asked, "It's alright, sir. If I may ask -"

"Sabine!" the bakery owner called, Cat Noir's question unheard. "We've got another one!"

Compared to the man, the Chinese woman that approached them looked positively tiny. As soon as she saw him, she seemed to panic. "Cat Noir?! Are you telling me Cat Noir ran into our doors?! Oh honey, let me see how bad it is …" With gentle hands, she reached up and pulled his hands away from his face. As she studied his face, he saw her relax.

"Oh thank goodness, it's not too bad …" she sighed. She grabbed a chocolate éclair and gave it to him, saying, "Here, this is on the house. Our daughter will help ice your face. Come along." She took his free hand and led him upstairs into a small, cute living room. "You can sit on that couch there," she directed. He obeyed and sat down, biting into the éclair. "Marinette!"

Wait … this was Marinette's house? He had heard rumors that Marinette was friends with Ladybug … maybe she knew where she was.

Marinette appeared, descending a staircase. "Yes mama?"

"Cat Noir hurt himself on our doors. Can you take care of him for a bit?"

He heard someone trying to stifle laughter. Frowning, he turned around and saw Marinette trying to mask her own amusement.

"Of course, mama," she replied.

"Some ice should do. I'll be back after the rush stops!" Sabine disappeared down the stairs leading to the bakery, leaving Cat Noir and Marinette alone.

He took the time to finish the éclair before he spoke. "You were laughing at my pain? Princess, I'm hurt," he said, pretending to be offended.

As she crossed into the kitchen to get some ice, she chuckled. "You would run into our doors, you silly cat."

He pouted. "They were cleaned very well."

Smirking, she replied, "Thank you. My father asked me to do some touch-ups during the lunch hour." She sat next to him and pressed a bag of ice to his forehead and he winced.

"You wound me, Princess," he whined. "But, uh … I do have a question, if you don't mind …"

He could almost see her putting her guard up. "What is it?"

"I've, uh … I've heard rumors that you know Ladybug." She stiffened, but made no move to interrupt him. "We had a misunderstanding and I was led to believe she may have come in here. Have you seen her? I want to apologize."

She bowed her head, trying to piece together an answer. Slowly, she answered, "She was in here, but she has left. I - She's having a bad day … I think it would be best if you left her alone …"

He sighed and leaned back. All that practicing for nothing. He glanced once more at Marinette: she seemed almost as tired as Ladybug. In addition to some dark circles, her eyes were puffy and red, as if she had been crying recently. Crying?

"Princess? Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"

She turned away.

"I promise I won't tell a soul. It looks like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders."

Marinette still wouldn't look at him, but her lower lip quavered. "I … I'd spent all of last night working on something to give to … to one of my friends, but when I got to school … he just … ignored me … all day …" She sniffled, as if she would cry again. "Alya told me he was ignoring everyone, but … I worked so hard …"

He removed the bag of ice from her hand and gently took her face in his hands. "Who is this idiot, Princess? Anyone who would ignore you is a fool."

She hesitated before telling him, "Adrien Agreste."

Cat Noir suddenly felt very foolish. Marinette always seemed interesting; he welcomed any chance to get to know her. And he ignored her? How did he - ah. Mentally, he facepalmed; he had been too busy rehearsing a confession for a girl who would run away to notice the girl who worked all night for a present for him. He stood up and strode to the window.

"Excuse me, Princess … I have someone to talk to," he said.

"Wait!" Marinette scrambled to her feet and grabbed his arm. "Please don't tell him, please -"

"Not to worry, Princess," he laughed. "I won't tell him everything. Just to stop by to see you." He leapt out of the window and started heading towards the estate.

In the living room, Marinette smiled, despite her rapidly beating heart. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad day after all.


	6. marionette

based on the writing prompt "that's not how the story's meant to end," follow up to "darkest hour"

trigger warning: body horror and mind rape

* * *

Effortlessly, Cat Noir (or perhaps it was Cat Blanc now) threw Ladybug onto the ground in front of Hawk Moth. As she struggled to get to her feet, she looked around, taking in the hellish landscape around her. It seemed like they were in the still-burning ruins of Hawk Moth's tower. The flames danced with a million purple butterflies, all of them moving in and out of the fires together like a violet parasitic mass. Amidst the fiery debris and dark swarms stood Hawk Moth, parts of his costume and mask burned off, but very much alive.

"Excellent job, Cat Blanc," he said, smirking. "Do one more thing for me and I'll let you have anything you'd like."

Cat Blanc stared at Ladybug hungrily and grinned, the reflection of the fire flickering in his red eyes. Just seeing that expression on her partner's face … it chilled her to her very core. "As you wish, Hawk Moth," he replied.

His butterfly brooch started glowing an ominous pink. With a wave of his cane, he ordered, "You know what to do, my little akumas …"

The purple butterflies swarmed her once more, but they weren't intent on carrying her away this time; she felt their wings brushing up against her skin, landing on her skin, then - crawling, crawling under her skin, burrowing into her mind, seeking out all the secrets and insecurities she kept locked away.

 _Why do you waste your time designing terrible things?_

 _You're such a clumsy oaf._

 _Alya deserves a better best friend._

 _Adrien will never notice you._

It was almost as if the akumas knew Adrien was her weakness. Her memories and feelings concerning Adrien began corrupting and twisting in her mind. Ladybug couldn't help but scream.

 _Why would Adrien notice a wallflower like you?_

 _If Adrien really knew you, he would never want to speak with you again._

 _Adrien loves Ladybug. He will never love Marinette._

She kept screaming in a vain attempt to block out the voices. It wasn't true, none of that was true. As long as she held on to that … as long as she believed that she stood a chance with Adrien … but she really had no chance with him … No, it's not true! It's not true … but why weren't things going anywhere with Adrien? It had to be something wrong with her … He was perfect, and she was not … but if someone told her exactly what to do to win his heart … "No!" she screamed. "I can do that on my own!"

"Don't be absurd, you know you can't," answered a deep, familiar voice.

Ladybug gripped her forehead as she cried, "None of this is true, stop it!"

"I can tell you how to win him over," the voice claimed.

"No … no …"

"You're useless on your own. But with someone else as a puppeteer, you can have all you ever wanted."

"No … I … I want this to stop … I want Adrien …"

"I can give him to you. All you have to say is …"

Ladybug could feel her willpower waning. She no longer felt like herself; the akumas had so thoroughly infected her mind. She answered, "Yes."

Immediately, her limbs felt numb. She tried to lift her arm, but it didn't seem to respond. Her head seemed immobile as well, so she had to glance down; her arm, as well as the rest of her body, had become a crudely assembled metal body, painted in a sloppy mockery of her costume. It soon became clear that the only part of her body she could control was her eyes. She wanted to move, she wanted to escape, she wanted to scream, but she could not.

The butterflies cleared away and she looked up at Hawk Moth, noting that his brooch was still glowing pink. He simply smiled and waved his hand. Several glowing purple strings appeared from his hand leading to her major joints. Ladybug's mechanical body stood up, clanking and … gurgling? Hesitantly, she glanced down; oil was trickling like black blood from her joints.

Hawk Moth cackled, marvelling at his latest creation. "I believe I have outdone myself," he commented. "Such an arcane little … Marionette."

She heard Cat Blanc guffawing behind her. "I do like that name. Can I play with her?"

He stepped forward, out of her line of sight. "After you help her destroy Paris, my kitten."

Destroy Paris? And he was going to use her to do it? Her finger twitched. No. Never.

 _What are you talking about? You're nothing without your handler, Marionette._

Never. She was not about to let Hawk Moth do whatever he pleased. Her fingers curled into a fist.

 _You'll never get Adrien without me._

"I would rather lose him than go through with this!" she yelled.

Hawk Moth turned around, astounded that she could talk. Maybe she could fight off one akuma, but that was why he sent hundreds to corrupt her. Could she really fight off all of them? Cautiously, he ordered, "Cat Blanc, I may be losing her. Prepare to attack."

 _YOU ARE MY PUPPET, END OF STORY._

"THAT IS NOT HOW THIS STORY ENDS!" she cried defiantly. The Marionette shell fell down around her, clattering to the floor. The metal plates disintegrated into purple butterflies that turned white as they flew away through the flames. Gripping her yo-yo, she turned her head to face Hawk Moth and Cat Blanc and declared, "I decide my fate."

"Cat Blanc!" called Hawk Moth.

Even when he was akumatized, Ladybug knew her partner's fighting style all too well. She ducked close to the ground to avoid his pounce and stepped forward, flinging her yo-yo out. It hit Hawk Moth right in the face and he stumbled back, shielding his eyes. That was all the distraction she needed; she closed the gap between them and reached out, grabbing the butterfly brooch. As she tore it away, an inhuman scream rent the air. It took Ladybug a few moments to realize that the scream came from the brooch, not Hawk Moth. The man fell backwards, his costume fading away.

"My … my lady?"

Ladybug turned to see Cat Noir on the ground with white butterflies emerging from his costume. "My lady!" he repeated, extending his hand and smiling a genuine smile. His usual green eyes met hers and any walls she placed around her heart dropped.

"Cat!" she cried out. She fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around him, trying not to cry. "Cat … I never thought I'd miss your voice … or your smile …"

He returned the hug, squeezing her tightly. "You missed me? Should I take this as an anguished declaration of love?"

She pressed her forehead to his, now opening crying. "You stupid cat … don't ever leave me again ..."

His leather-clad hand brushed against her cheek, wiping away her tears. "As long as you need me, I will never leave you, my lady."


	7. warmth

based on the writing prompt "first snowfall"

* * *

The first snowflakes were falling over Paris, but that wasn't why Ladybug was grinning like a child. The fight against Snowfall had been trickier than usual, but she was now tied to a tree and the akuma was free of the Christmas ornament it had been possessing. It was time for her favorite part of a fight. She popped open her yo-yo like opening a compact and said gleefully, "No more evil-doing for you, little akuma!"

Cat Noir, who had been trapped under a small avalanche during the fight, screamed in frustration. "L-L-Ladybug, do you ha-have to do this ev-v-very time?!" he whined. Her kwami had seen fit to change her costume to fit the occasion (a red and black polka-dotted coat and skirt, with red leggings and black boots). However, Plagg was too lazy to do the same for him: his leather catsuit had zero insulation, making his stay in the snow pile worse.

Whether she heard his pleas or not, he never knew. She swung her yo-yo around in circles and smiled before swinging it around to capture the akuma. "Time to de-evilize!"

His entire body was now shivering. "Y-Y-You know, my lady, I ha-ave a few words-s-s that would s-sound a lot bet-t-t-ter …"

After calling out "gotcha!" (Cat Noir had screamed, "LADYBUG I AM FREEZING HURRY UP"), she tapped her yo-yo to release the akuma, now white and purified. "Bye-bye, little butterfly," she said cheerfully.

"Great, great, now undo everything please," he whined.

She chuckled as he scowled. "Such an impatient kitty." Ladybug tossed up her lucky charm (this time it was a scarf) and called, "Miraculous Ladybug!" A wave of red magic swept through the city, undoing all of the collateral damage incurred from the fight and finally freeing Cat Noir from his freezing prison. He immediately curled up into a ball and clenched his teeth, trying to keep them from chattering.

Ladybug walked over to him and crouched down, asking, "Cat, did your kwami not change your costume?"

"N-no …" he said, a little more spitefully than he meant to. "Can we go somewhere w-warm?"

"Hm." After debating his question for a few minutes, a small smile appeared on Ladybug's face and she announced, "I think I have a friend that can fix you up. But promise you'll be nice, okay?"

"I'll do anything for warmth!"

Ladybug giggled. "Then follow me!"

Cat Noir whined, "What? Why?" He even made some pitful mewling noises.

"Come on, you silly cat! Moving around will warm you up!" With that, she tossed her yo-yo and started climbing buildings and jumping from roof to roof.

He groaned, but started following her anyway. Despite his freezing bones, he would always follow his Ladybug. Fortunately, she stopped at a rooftop garden not far from where they were, signaling him to hurry up. His feet hit the floor and the rest of his body soon followed.

In a flat, sarcastic voice, Ladybug commented, "Graceful."

His face half on the floor, he said, "Don't care. Can I go into the warm?"

He couldn't see her, but he knew she had rolled her eyes. "Not yet, you impatient cat. I need to tell my friend and she'll invite you in." A small beep from her earrings signaled the end of her transformation and she vaulted over the railing, calling, "Gotta go! Stay warm, kitty!"

Cat Noir moaned and groaned. He brought his left hand to his face and hissed, "Plagg! Can you please give me something warmer to wear?"

To his chagrin, nothing happened.

"... I will give you an entire wheel of camembert when I untransform."

A green wave of magic spread from the ring, giving him a black parka with green fur trim, black pants, and a pair of hideous lime green snow boots with images of black cats on them. Cat Noir tried to hide his disgust as he commented, "Thank you, but we are having a conversation about your fashion sense later."

The trapdoor in front of him opened up and out popped Marinette. In trying not to scream, Cat Noir instead made a choked squeak. Very dignified.

She looked him over and snorted. "Nice boots, kitty."

He pouted. "I am very cold and dressed in a fashion nightmare, can I please come in?"

Marinette giggled and extended her hand. Both of them descended the ladder into her room, where an assortment of blankets covered her bed. Squealing gleefully, Cat Noir dove headfirst into the pile of blankets, hiding every bit of himself except for his tail (Plagg had seen fit to turn both his tail and ears into softer, fuzzier versions). He poked his head out from under a blue fleece blanket to see Marinette, arms folded and appearing slightly amused.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Princess," he chuckled sheepishly. "May I use these blankets?"

Amused grin never leaving her face, she replied, "That's what they're there for, silly cat."

He squealed happily. "Thank you, my lady!" He hid himself once more under the blankets.

"Well, if you're going to be under there the entire time, that just leaves more for me."

"What are you talking about?" He poked his head out to see Marinette biting into a croissant. Laid out on her desk were a few dozen plates, all stacked with delicious-smelling baked goods.

She motioned to them and said, "Fresh out of the oven. And there's some hot chocolate as well. But if you want to stay there, go ahead."

Cat Noir pouted. Some warm food sounded excellent, but he felt like his shivering body still needed the warmth of a dozen blankets. Decisions, decisions …

As if reading his mind, Marinette leaned down to pick up a red blanket decorated with black paw prints. She explained, "This one's electric, if you still need a warm blanket."

He smiled as he emerged from his blanket fortress and slipped the blanket around his shoulders while she turned it on. Selecting a chocolate-filled éclair, he sat in the chair next to Marinette.

He took a bite of the pastry before asking, "So Princess, how do you know Ladybug?"

She seemed to choke on her croissant. "Ehehe …" Clearly flustered, she shoved the rest of the pastry in her mouth, probably in an attempt to buy more time. "Well," she started, some croissant still remaining in her mouth. "You know … a villain happened. I needed saving. We had a few things in common."

He tilted his head. "A few things in common?" Excited, he leaned forward and asked, "What kinds of things, Princess?"

Marinette appeared confused and a little creeped out. "Why would you want to …" Her face lit up as the realization dawned on her. "Do you actually have a crush on Ladybug?"

It was Cat Noir's turn to eat his pastry until he found a suitable answer. FInally, he arrived at, "You … don't believe that I do?"

She leaned over to grab a mug of hot chocolate, admitting, "Well, I - she - we thought you were like that with everyone. Aren't you?"

Cat Noir frowned and wrapped the blanket tighter around his shoulders. "No, I'm not," he said defiantly. "My devotion is to my lady, and my lady only. I will follow her wherever she goes. I want her to be happy. The way I act around her … it's just that she's so serious all the time. If I can make her smile despite her burden of protecting Paris, that will be enough for me. If it came to it … if it came to it, I think I would die for her."

Marinette opened her mouth to refute his last point, but she recalled how Cat Noir had shielded her against Timebreaker's time freeze attack, and again when he took an arrow from Dark Cupid that was meant for her. He meant it.

She took a sip of her hot cocoa before saying, "I think … she would appreciate hearing that. And …" Marinette turned on her heel and smiled as her eyes met Cat Noir's. "I believe she cares about you too, in her own way."

Cat Noir slowly got to his feet, the blanket sliding off of his shoulders. He took a tentative step towards her, asking, "So … if we stop Hawk Moth … once Paris is safe again … do you think I'd have a chance with her?"

Marinette smiled wistfully. "Afterwards, maybe. You two have a job to do and she doesn't want -" Suddenly, her eyes widened and her jaw fell open.

Cat Noir tilted his head, frowning. "Princess?"

She replied by whimpering and dropping her mug. Hot cocoa splashed everywhere and broken ceramic pieces scattered across the floor.

He stepped forward and extended his hand. "Marinette, what's wrong?" It was then that he realized that he wasn't wearing Plagg's horrendous parka anymore. Panicking, his hands traveled to his head. No ears. No mask. He glanced at his ring, which was a polished silver instead of the black and green it should have been.

A small weight settled on his shoulder. Plagg hissed, "Adrien, where's my camembert?"


	8. kitten noir

based on a wacky scenario idea

* * *

Ladybug furiously swung her yoyo around, shielding herself from Witch Girl's magical blasts. All around her, the deflected blasts hit trees and benches, transfiguring them into other random objects; one tree became a small stuffed bunny, and the carousel in the park became a snowglobe. As the blasts turned the Champ de Mars into a large knick-knack display, Ladybug was extremely thankful that her powers included a reset to offset collateral damage. She advanced, using the trash can lid her Lucky Charm had given her as a shield. She swung her yo-yo, managing to wrap it around Witch Girl's arm as she fired off another magical blast. Ladybug managed to duck just in time, but a small "oh" made her heart stop. She turned around for a split second and there was Cat Noir, hit square in the chest by the blast and flying backwards into a bush.

"No!" she cried out. It's alright, she told herself. All she would have to do is purify the akuma and she would reset everything. Everything would be alright. Frantic, she tugged on her yo-yo, sending Witch Girl's wand flying. Ladybug leapt up and caught it in one hand, breaking it on her knee as soon as she landed. She spun her yo-yo around hypnotically, capturing the purple butterfly and releasing it, now a purified white butterfly.

"Miraculous Ladybug!" she called as she tossed the trash can lid up in the air. The lid burst in a wave of red magic, which spread throughout the park, returning everything to its original form. She glanced back at the bush that Cat Noir had fallen into, waiting for the wave to sweep past and for her partner to stand up, with his signature grin. The red magic faded away and nothing happened. Ladybug's heart skipped a beat.

"Cat?" she tentatively called out. No obvious response. She willed herself to stay calm as she repeated, "Cat? Cat Noir, are you okay?" When no response came, she sprinted towards the bush, heart hammering in her chest. Her reset usually worked on everything. It had even saved him from a time paradox. What did he turn into? Why wasn't her reset working?

She collapsed to her knees and pulled apart the bush, looking for anything that could tell her what happened to Cat Noir. Something in the bush meowed weakly and to Ladybug's surprise, a small black kitten with startlingly green eyes looked up at her. It meowed again and tried its best to climb out of the hole Ladybug had created. With gentle hands, she took the kitten in her hands and cradled it.

"... Cat Noir?" she asked in disbelief.

The kitten meowed and pawed the air, as if replying to her.

Ladybug was dumbstruck, trying to take in her situation. Her normally infallible reset had not worked on Cat Noir, who was now literally a cat. How did this happen? Her hands shook as she began to understand what this meant: there was no telling if Cat Noir would return to his original self (if at all), and if he wasn't human before Hawk Moth sent out another akuma, Ladybug would have to keep fighting alone …

The kitten purred, bringing her back to reality. With its tiny claws, he climbed up to Ladybug's shoulders. He pawed her ears as her earrings beeped, signaling the decay of her transformation.

Uh-oh.

She shuffled back and forth frantically, torn between taking who she now dubbed as Kitten Noir with her or setting him down and coming back to him as Marinette. But would he remember her secret identity when the spell eventually wore off? Her earrings beeped once more and she screamed in frustration. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, she darted behind a tree with Kitten Noir still in her arms. A few seconds later, she was Marinette once more. Kitten Noir pawed her chest, mewling.

She chuckled. "Yes, I suppose you know now …" There were so many other, far more embarrassing, far more terrible ways for Cat Noir to find out her secret identity; she supposed this wasn't so bad. Stroking between Kitten Noir's ears, she started heading home, trying to figure out how to tell her parents that she was bringing home a cat.

"My lady? My lady!"

Confused, Marinette glanced down at the bundle of fur in her arms; his green eyes blinked back. He opened his mouth, but all that came out was another meow.

"Princess! Excellent timing! Have you seen Ladybug?" For the second time in ten minutes, Marinette was dumbstruck as Cat Noir landed next to her, very much normal and human. To her embarrassment, she kept staring; Cat Noir tilted his head and grinned that stupid grin she thought she'd never see again. Had she missed him that much already?

He chuckled as he reached out to take her hand. "Enchanted by me, Prin - OUCH!"

She glanced down and to her amusement, Kitten Noir had bitten Cat Noir's finger when he tried to take her hand. The kitten hissed at him, then curled up in Marinette's arms, as if trying to tell his human counterpart that Marinette was his.

Cat Noir pouted as he nursed his finger. "Princess, why would you pick up this demon?" he whined.

After the initial shock of seeing him alive and well, Marinette was finally able to string together a few words. "I … I thought … I saw the battle and I thought you turned into a kitten."

Cat Noir beamed. "Oh, you saw that fight?" He flexed his arms, cocky smile never leaving his face. "I was pretty good, right? Well, until I turned into a newt." The kitten kept hissing at him, as if reacting to his obnoxious ego.

"So you weren't turned into this kitten?" Marinette reaffirmed.

Cat Noir scoffed and folded his arms. "Of course not! That one's rude!" The kitten batted his paw at him, claws extended.

She looked down at the kitten and smiled. "You know, I think I like this cat better." Turning on her heel, she started walking home and waved at Cat Noir over her shoulder.

Cat Noir pouted, even though he knew she couldn't see him. He shouted, "You win this round, tiny demon, but you won't win the war!"

He swore he heard a small meow in response.


	9. moonlight

based on the writing prompt "come back"

* * *

The wind ruffled through Cat Noir's hair as he wrapped his arms around himself. From his high position on the Eiffel Tower, he eyed the Champ de Mars once more; except for the local wildlife, not a soul moved. Well, that was it - his part of tonight's patrol was finished. Now to wait for Ladybug … Nimbly, he leapt down to the observation deck and nestled himself into a corner away from the wind.

Cat Noir had always made it a point to finish his part of the patrol after Ladybug so that he wouldn't be the one waiting. He hated being alone with the moonlight, the wind, and his memories. The ring he wore suddenly felt heavy and his fingers trembled. He drew his knees up to his chest and hugged himself tighter. It was alright, he told himself. Ladybug would be here any minute. Out of anything and everything he had ever encountered, she was the only thing that could successfully chase away his memories. But she wasn't here.

Suddenly, he was eight years old again. He couldn't recall exactly what it was he had dreamt, but he had woken up drenched in his own sweat, crying out for his parents. His mother had always been there for him, and at the time, his father was the kindest person he had ever met. But no matter how much he cried out, neither of them came to his rescue. Shaking, he climbed out of bed, clutching his blanket to his chest. His hand had barely touched the doorknob when something large and black had swung into his window. He dropped his blanket and opened his mouth to scream, but the black thing strode across the room and placed a gentle finger on his nose. Only one person had ever done that to him.

"Maman?"

She smiled. Now that he had calmed down a bit, he could see her through the disguise - the green eyes he had inherited from her peering out from a black mask, a pair of leather black cat ears sitting on soft blonde curls so much like his own, and the gentle smile that had comforted him so many times. He extended his arms and started crying, "Maman, I had a bad dream -"

"Oh, mon petit chat, come here …" She swept him up in her arms, holding him close. "I'm sorry I wasn't there …" She set him back down on his bed and looked him in the eye. "It is only a dream, mon petit chat. It cannot hurt you."

His small hand found his mother's and he squeezed it. "Promise, maman?"

"I promise." She glanced back at the window and touched the ring on her right hand nervously. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she said, "Listen, mon petit chat. I am on a very important, very secret mission. Do you understand?"

"Yes, maman." His eyes had widened. His father had always told him that his mother was a model for his fashion designs; never in his life would he have guessed that she was some kind of secret agent.

"I need to go away for a while. Since this is secret, you can't tell anyone about it, okay? Especially papa - he can't know about this mission. Here …" She took the ring off of her finger and to tiny Adrien's surprise, a shimmer of magic transformed the secret agent cat into his familiar mother. She placed the ring, now silver instead of black, into his hand and closed his fingers around it.

"Promise me that you'll keep this safe until I come back, okay?"

Adrien had nodded his head solemnly.

"Alright." She rose to her feet and returned to the open window. The moonlight bounced off of her golden hair, making it glow in the dark. His curtains fluttered around her as she turned back to look at him one last time. Her tears glinted in the dim light as she said, "I love you, my dear Adrien." With that, she leapt out of the window.

Adrien gasped. "Maman, wait!" He dashed to the window, but no matter where he looked, his mother was nowhere to be seen. Tears started welling in his eyes. In a small, pained voice, he begged, "Maman, come back …" To this day, he wasn't entirely sure how long he stood at his window, the biting wind drying his tears and clutching his mother's ring in his small hand.

"Cat Noir?"

Shouting in surprise, he leapt to his feet. As the world around him came back into focus, he calmed down; it was just his lady, returning from her part of the patrol. She stepped forward, asking, "Cat Noir, are you alright?"

What he meant to say was, "I am perfectly fine my lady, how did the patrol go?" Instead, he opened his mouth, made a strangled noise from the back of his throat, and pulled Ladybug into a tight hug.

Gingerly, she placed her hands on his back and whispered, "What's wrong, Cat?"

His mind suddenly conjured an image of Ladybug saying goodbye, Ladybug leaping through a window, never to be seen again - and he whimpered. Holding her tighter, he whimpered, "We'll always be together, right? I mean … together, saving Paris, you'll … you'll never leave me alone? In, in saving Paris?"

"Cat …" He felt her relax and start rubbing his back. "Whether we're heroes or not, I will always be here. You're my partner and my dear friend."

Despite his best efforts, tears leaked out from his tightly closed eyes. "Thank you, my lady."


End file.
